Wild baby weasel in our live mouse trap- need advice

We live in the country in Nebraska and several days ago my husband heard this squeaking from our live mouse trap outside our garage. He dumped the contents in a bucket and told me we caught a ground squirrel. I take a look in the bucket and I couldn't believe it, the little guy looks just like a baby ferret. I had ferrets about 10 years ago. In fact he doesn't even care to try and escape, he just curls up and goes to sleep. I bring the bucket inside, get the little guy some water which he drinks a lot of, poor thing was dehydrated and starving. I feed him some ground turkey and some raw chicken which he happily eats. I start researching online and this animal looks like a Least Weasel. It's kind of a miniature ferret. I have lived in Nebraska all my life and only once seen a wild ferret and have never seen a weasel. Long story, short...he is eating like crazy. He is too young to survive without his mom outside. It's winter here, not sure how he even survived this long, according to the web, weasels are born in the spring and have to be adult size by winter to make it through. Not sure what to do with him now...do I keep him until spring then release him and hope he makes it? Will he be too tame by then (he is super friendly and playful)? I feel like he is a wild animal and should stay that way, but then again their life expectancy in the wild is only about a year, so that seems kind of cruel too. He is really liking the maid service here, play time, and sleeping in a fleece blanket. By the way, he acts exactly like a domesticated ferret, same mannerisms, bathroom habits, war dance. He is just much smaller and faster than any ferret. He is brown with a white underbelly and paws. Short tail and his tail is not black like a wild ferret. If you look at videos on youtube, search for Ozzy the weasel, that is exactly what he looks like. And of course I can't get photos uploaded. I will fix this...pics coming shortly. Any ideas...it says file uploaded failed.

Look up stoat on the internet maybe that is what he is there are pictures of them and you can compare them. What you describe sounded like a stoat to me which is a member of the weasel family but are smaller than a ferret and have a shorter tail. I can't tell you what to do with him whether to keep him inside or let him loose but if he is a stoat you can read about them online and maybe that will let you know what to do with him.

I'd love to see pictures of him.  Are you sure he's not an adult?  They only get to be 6 1/2 to 9 1/2 inches.  They're one of the smallest carnivores in North America.  I'd sure be tempted to keep him, but that's up to you.  You may become so attached to him that you won't want to let him go.

If you want to upload pictures, it's easiest to do from a photo hosting site like photobucket.  Copy and past the url link into your post.

THE DOOKS OF HAZARD

He is brown with a white underbelly and paws.

Sounds like a stoat.  If he young, he might not have black tip tail yet.


http://a-z-animals.com/animals/stoat/


Picture would help.  If you think it's a wild animal, you might want to get contact with wildlife rehab in your area.

Hi, https://www.dropbox.com/s/bvm1vbcxz2u2a51/2015-02-16%2021.03.11.mov?dl=0 I have tried numerous ways to get this video off my phone. I was finally able to get it downloaded into dropbox. This is the wild weasel that we rescued from a live mouse trap. He is super tiny. At first I was handling him with gloves, but he was not attempting to attack in any way. Now I have been holding him and he is super friendly. If you think keeping track of a ferret is difficult, this guy is crazy. He has the curiosity of a ferret but can fit anywhere including walking right under closed doors. If you didn't see his whole body and just his head you would think you were looking at a mouse. I saw the posts on him possibly be a Stout. He does look like one, but he is too small and they are not in Nebraska. I still think he is a Least Weasel. They look like Stouts only smaller. I don't know I give this guy up. He is the most adorable thing. He is trying to help me type right now.

differences I have noticed from a domesticated ferret The little weasel stinks. Granted all the ferrets I had in the past were all descented. This little guy smells worse than all three of my ferrets combined. He has very tiny little nails and he has a lot more grip. His nails are more like a sugar gliders. He can run right up my pant leg or hang off the side of my shirt. He is more expressive with his tail. He wags his tail a lot. Especially if he is wrestling with something and is going to attack something, then his little tail goes crazy. But he is not very vocal at all. I have only heard him make a noise once.

He is adorable I know I would have a hard time letting him go. He does look real small. Lots of luck with him what ever you do.

That looks like a baby stoat.

awesome.  good luck containing him, lol.  

THE DOOKS OF HAZARD

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00Man/MammalHusbandryTechniques/UKMHusbIndTech/HR_M_Mustelinae.htm

He/She is sooooo stinking cute.. I would have a hard time letting him/her go.. It seems very well adjusted to being in captivity.  It is really up to you whether you want to keep it or not.. but if you are gonna choose to free it.. you may wanna restrict your interaction with it.. If it learns to trust humans.. It may encounter danger from not so nice animal lovers as yourself.. But if you choose to give him/her a home,, I think it is just the cutest thing.. Better find out if there are any vets in your area that will treat him/her in your area in the event you  need medical help for it.. Man I think you are so  lucky to be able to experience such a unique critter.. I am a bit envious..  Envious enough to post on this site after maybe 2-3 years of lurking..lol  Thank you for sharing the video made my day.. :)

Make sure you check in Nebraska Games and Parks, as you might need a permit.
http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/wildlife/wildlife_species_guide/captive_regulations.asp

The little weasel loves to play with paper towels. https://www.dropbox.com/s/rr82vndsrxqohcq/2015-02-17%2019.00.04.mov?dl=0

Thank you so much for the information.

This little guy is so fascinating.. So quick.. I don't know how you keep up with him.. Did I miss that it is a he?? Love the video clips keep em coming... 

Did you decide whether you are gonna keep him or not yet??

Thanks.  I am so glad other people are as interested in the weasel as I am.

Food questions. I know, is usually a debated topic on a site like this, but it's been 10 years since I had a ferret and bought ferret food.  I have been feeding it ground turkey and raw chicken.  I tried ground beef, chicken gizzards, and eggs, not very interested.

I thought if I could supplement with a dry food it could be something I could provide him outside when he is released.  I am thinking of either getting him a way he can get out of the house and come and go as it pleases or building it some kind of house outside that he can hide in and keep food and water for him there, this would once spring gets here.

I need a high quality food that has small kibble size as he is very small.  Suggestions...not worried about cost.

Not sure what sex it is yet?  I hope to find out when I get a good look.

Food is highly debated subject you can pick and choose what you feel comfortable with.. We feed three different kinds of Kibble as a mixture Zupreem, Dr Foster and Smith brand Ferret Food and Pretty Pets Natural gold.. We try to stay away from corn and peas in our food.. 

I like the Natural Gold cause its completely grain free and has two different types of proteins in it.. And it also has very small pellets.. May be a choice for your little guy if you so choose..

Here is the link to it.. I think Dr Foster and Smith has the cheapest prices for food at the moment.. Browse that site for choices.. 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=6067+10381+11256+17557&pcatid=17557

The DFS brand ferret food is small too.. but the Natural gold is by far the smallest in what we use.. 

This is another option that many who feed raw choose.. Stella and Chewys..Its a very good brand food and it comes like in small patties and you can break them up into tiny pieces or soak it and make into a soup. 

We don't use it yet cause of finances but plan on switching to it in the future.. Someone else more experienced can tell you with ones are good for ferrets.. I know some dog and some cat ones are great for ferrets.. I can tell you our guys love it as a treat in soups.. they won't eat it just dry.. 

But take a look maybe you would prefer this type of food..

http://www.stellaandchewys.com/index.php

There are cheaper places to buy it,, but since we don't buy it yet,, someone else will have to advise you on where to get it for the best price.. 

Good luck,, happy hunting.. 

I thought if I could supplement with a dry food it could be something I could provide him outside when he is released.  

If I was you. You are going to release him/her.  Give him/her it's natural diet.

Food: - rabbits - small mamals, birds, eggs, earthworms, large insects and carrion.

https://ypte.org.uk/factsheets/stoat/overview

If you want to give him something when he is released....I think I would imprint little one on raw chicken, chicken wings, hearts, etc.  Raw meat would be a better choice

That is much better than kibbles.

I agree raw would be best. I am sticking with meat which the little weasel has no problem eating. Not sure where to get rabbit or some mice. Any good options? I found mypetcarnivore.com does anyone have experience with them?

new video of the weasel https://www.dropbox.com/s/c05mqalgetcg2vy/2015-02-24%2020.57.57.mov?dl=0 I think it is a female, but not 100% sure. She will let me hold her to get her from her pen to the play area, but she doesn't like to hold still and gets really excited. She knows we are going to play and tolerates being held, otherwise she is does not like to hold still. She is really gaining weight, but not growing much larger. She has discovered toys and really likes to play and has become vocal. You can hear her making a chuckling noise in this video. She also hisses if startled and makes a warning noise if she doesn't like something, like having to go back in her pen.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3osn4k6ldo042a8/2015-02-22%2019.51.05-1.jpg?dl=0 picture of me holding her The wild weasel is also using a litter box. She uses it in her pen and in the playroom. There are no ferret cages that could ever hold this girl. She can slip through the small places so I am keeping her in large steralite container. https://www.dropbox.com/s/mae19ygplzxm0o3/2015-02-18%2018.13.51.jpg?dl=0 She is getting much more athletic. We have to keep the lid on, yes we drilled some air holes. As soon as you open the lid can now jump and balance on the edge.

All I can say is that she is adorable and so tiny. She sure acts very healthy so whatever you are feeding her seems to be good for her.

she is so tiny.....

looks like mr weasel has found an indoor home.  soooo cool.

THE DOOKS OF HAZARD

Sounds like she is "Weasel Dooking"  soooo cute.. I see you are doing all kinds of things to enrich her out time.. I think its amazing that even a wild animal loves to play if given half the chance..  Can I ask what room you are playing with her in?? I am curious where you can let her out that she doesn't find a hole tiny enough to get out..lol  How long would you say she plays before she starts to wear down??

So interesting watching this little critter.. I don't know anything about weasels are they daytime or nocturnal animals??


Love her Weasel Safe home you made..  Was gonna suggest a hamster cage or something for her.. But those digs look pretty luxurious to me..  

The area she is playing in is our master bathroom. It is one of the few weasel safe areas. She can fit through holes smaller than a quarter. I have to stuff towels tightly under the door and we had to block some holes she found under the cabinets. She plays for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours before she starts to wind down. She won't ever admit being tired, but I can tell she starts to slow down and starts seeking out places to hide to sleep. I weighed her and our little heavy weight comes in at 2 and 3/8 ounces. She is eating 1/2 to 3/4 ounces of meat a day. She has really filled out. She was so skinny when we found her, you could feel every rib. Now she has a little weasel tummy. She is both diurnal and nocturnal. She is awake for a hour or two than sleeps and just repeats this pattern all day and night.

So she's crepuscular, like ferrets.  Dar and I think it's so amazing that a) she's so tiny and b) she likes people.  What a once in a lifetime experience.  We hand feed a bunch of wild turtles in our pond, but we can't really say they're playful.  And they're not very cuddly.  We're jealous

THE DOOKS OF HAZARD

This is just too cute I had to share it. The weasel playing in a birdhouse. The weasel has been verified as a Least Weasel by the biology professors at the university here. https://www.dropbox.com/s/o79mtizp5mjfbse/IMG_0123.MOV?dl=0

Your right that is so so cute. She is having a good time.

Too cute.  I see you must have figured out how to keep her contained somewhat.  

THE DOOKS OF HAZARD

Wow that video gives a real perspective of her tiny size?? Have you given her a name yet?? She is sooo fast..lol 

The videos won't pull up for me but everyone says it looks like a stoat as does your description. Stoats are not endangered and I haven't seen anything making it illegal in Nebraska to own stoats. That being said they are wild animals and should not be kept in captivity. Ferrets are domesticated to be kept as pets and can not survive in the wild. Stoats are wild animals and live short lives even in captivity. What you most likely have is a female, and being late winter early spring she is probably getting ready for kids. Stoats hardly ever give birth in captivity, so you are denying her natural life cycle. 

I know they are very cute but they are wild animals. The best thing to do is to release her back into the wild. It is illegal to capture a wild animal and keep it as a pet in the state of Nebraska. The act of ownership of a stoat may not but the act of removing from a wild setting is, and can land you in some deep water with the local fish and game authorities. The worst thing you can do is make the stoat reliant on humans. This messes with their natural cycle and can actually be deadly to them. Feeding them foods not found in the wild can imprint them on that causing them to leave their natural diet, and once released they may even starve themselves. They don't just imprint on foods for personal preference but as a safety mechanism. You giving a healthy ferret diet instead of a stoat diet might show "hey stoat food is bad don't eat it" to them. 

Sorry to be so negative. Taking an animal from the wild and raising him/her is morally wrong and illegal even with the best intentions in mind. The stoat is of least concern, so there is no need for conservation at this time. 

>Not sure where to get rabbit or some mice. Any good options?


You can try Rodent Pro

http://www.rodentpro.com/

It's not a stoat.  It's a least weasel.  It weighs less than 3 ounces.  SpecialK says stoats are not native to Nebraska, and she may release her back to to wild in Spring.  I'd say there's a good chance she'd come back. In any case, ferrets are illegal in California, and there are an estimated half a million ferrets in that state.  Me, I'd take the chance and give that little weas it the best life I could, because it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, and it's already bonded with it's owner. It will probably live longer as a pet than the 18 months projected for it in the wild. 

At some point, a couple thousand years ago, someone domesticated ferrets to hunt vermin, and now we are addicted to them.  Same with dogs.  The law requires us to fix them.  I'm not endorsing going out and capturing wild animals to keep as pets, but in this case I'd be doing the same thing.

THE DOOKS OF HAZARD

Number one she has had it verified from the University in her area that it is a "Least Weasel" not a stoat.
Two she is doing and excellent job providing the weasel with enrichment and natural found foods.
Three,,, if no one ever took an animal from the wild in and tamed it we wouldn't have pets at all..
All pets at one time were from wild ancestors and some human decided they would enjoy them in captivity in their homes.. 

I don't appreciate the " morally wrong" comment.. Seems a bit over the top to me..  

I agree with unclejoe and dar24.

Just giving my two cents. Least weasel or stoat it is still a wild animal. Removing wild animals from nature is what destroys the population. Think of all those animals in the pet stores like turtles and lizards. Most of the time like iguanas they aren't captive bred and are taken out of their natural habitat destroying local populations. I was not trying to be rude or insulting. This is a forum for the proper care of animals and with everyone for keeping a wild animal there has to be a realistic person to say no. Wild animals very easily die in captivity, in a zoo setting or not. You could have her for 6-10 years or a matter of months. It's both right and wrong. I'm just heavily opposed to the illegal pet trade and the taking of animals from the wild to be used as pets. Even with the best intentions. If this is something you want to do then maybe look into becoming an animal rescuer to help the species as a whole. 

The weasel is getting released tomorrow. We have been waiting for the weather to get better and tonight is the last night predicted below freezing. She has been free roaming in our basement cold storage room for the past 5 days as the temps in there are about 20 degrees cooler than our house to acclimate her back to cooler temps. My sweet husband built her a weasel home. It is larger than a bird house with opens in both size just bigger enough for her to get in and out. The roof is hinged and I can open the top. I will post pictures. She has her favorite tshirt in there and he rigged a water bottle inside. I have been feeding her in the house too. She has been staying in it even though she has free reign. We will put the house out with her when we release her. Then she will have shelter, a safe place she is used to, as well as food and water. We will keep feeding her as long as she comes back to it. We have also been catching a lot of field mice in our live traps, almost one every day. We have been giving them to her and she has gotten very skilled at killing them. She eats the whole thing except a small pile of fur.